So here is the scenario- For the past 4 years or so, I've been using this rig as my trusty HTPC/Torrent box. It's hooked up to a 720p 32in LCD. It's workload is simple: XBMC, Winamp, Internet browsing via Chrome, uTorrent.
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (Something to note, this is passively cooled running at stock voltage thanks to a Thermalright XP-90c)
RAM: 2gb (4x 512mb OCZ 2-3-2-5)
MOBO: MSI K8N GM2-FID
GPU: XFX 7600gt
HDD : Seagate 120gb for os, apps , 1.5tb for media etc.
OS: Win XP (If it ain't broke, don't fix it has been my mantra with this rig)
All inside an Antec NSK 2400 w/ the SU380 PSU it shipped with. (Damn near silent with 2 undervolted fans running at 7v)
The issues?: Clearly, the hardware is getting old. This was cobbled together from parts I purchased when I was 15 years old. It has served it's purpose, but I feel like it's become unsuitable for its workload. Compared to my Q6700 with Win7 and a Vertex 3, obviously this rig will feel sluggish. I am not looking for bleeding edge performance from the HTPC, though. I occasionally see slowdown while playing back .x264 mkv's, and CPU Load is often at 100% during playback.
The Solution(?): The 7600gt was originally put in the system because it was being used as WoW Machine for a while. It's got an awful fan on it, which ramps up to 100% for about 7 minutes when an .mkv starts. I'm going to replace it with a passively cooled card, which will help ease the load on my cpu.
Something like a 1gb 5450 seems to be the direction to go with that (any compelling arguments against it are welcome, but remember, fanless.) But I'm worried that just a video card upgrade won't be enough to "quicken" things up to my liking. This is where the real advice comes in: What should I be looking for in terms of CPUs (new or used!) that can be passively cooled (w/ or w/o undervolting- I'm not afraid of a BIOS screen), and provide the relatively moderate level of power I require. Obviously, a new CPU means new mobo, so chipset advice is also greatly appreciated. (And a new heatsink?
) As far as budget goes- Ideally under $150, but the cheaper the better. Are there any 939 dual core chips that you could passively cool? (Opty 165 comes to mind- just not sure if the XP-90C could handle it.)
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (Something to note, this is passively cooled running at stock voltage thanks to a Thermalright XP-90c)
RAM: 2gb (4x 512mb OCZ 2-3-2-5)
MOBO: MSI K8N GM2-FID
GPU: XFX 7600gt
HDD : Seagate 120gb for os, apps , 1.5tb for media etc.
OS: Win XP (If it ain't broke, don't fix it has been my mantra with this rig)
All inside an Antec NSK 2400 w/ the SU380 PSU it shipped with. (Damn near silent with 2 undervolted fans running at 7v)
The issues?: Clearly, the hardware is getting old. This was cobbled together from parts I purchased when I was 15 years old. It has served it's purpose, but I feel like it's become unsuitable for its workload. Compared to my Q6700 with Win7 and a Vertex 3, obviously this rig will feel sluggish. I am not looking for bleeding edge performance from the HTPC, though. I occasionally see slowdown while playing back .x264 mkv's, and CPU Load is often at 100% during playback.
The Solution(?): The 7600gt was originally put in the system because it was being used as WoW Machine for a while. It's got an awful fan on it, which ramps up to 100% for about 7 minutes when an .mkv starts. I'm going to replace it with a passively cooled card, which will help ease the load on my cpu.
Something like a 1gb 5450 seems to be the direction to go with that (any compelling arguments against it are welcome, but remember, fanless.) But I'm worried that just a video card upgrade won't be enough to "quicken" things up to my liking. This is where the real advice comes in: What should I be looking for in terms of CPUs (new or used!) that can be passively cooled (w/ or w/o undervolting- I'm not afraid of a BIOS screen), and provide the relatively moderate level of power I require. Obviously, a new CPU means new mobo, so chipset advice is also greatly appreciated. (And a new heatsink?
) As far as budget goes- Ideally under $150, but the cheaper the better. Are there any 939 dual core chips that you could passively cool? (Opty 165 comes to mind- just not sure if the XP-90C could handle it.)
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